Relay operation indicator



Nov. 1; 1927;

J. M. ZIMMERMAN RELAY OPERATION INDICATOR Filed March 1924 INVENTOR ATTbRNEY .fgsse /Z Z/ mmerman.

WITNESSES:

l fMyinvention is an improvement upon the structure shown "and described in the ap- Patented Nov. 1, 1927.

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mxomca JESSE -M.-ZIMMERMAN, or WILKINSBURG,amunsytvenm;AssIGfioR mo WESTiNG- HOUSE {ELECTRIC &' MANUFACTURING company, n CORPORATION o'F" 'PENNS'YL' VANIA.

RELAY orE'iaATIoN INDICATOR.

invention relates to relays and parthumb nut and the glass cover that the op'ertioiilarly to operation. indicators therefor.

One object of myihvention is to provide a relay operation indicator that shall serve to, indicate when a predetermined operation ha been efliected" within a the relay; i Another-object 'ef my iny'ention is to provide an indi-ca'torg of the characteid f scribed, that shall be 'fapplica'ble to relays fat piesent iii service without changing "the s'trueture of the relays.

A A furtherobject or myinveutwa is to proside an" peratioa "indieator, having re's'ettirrgmean's', for relayso'f the induction typethatareproi ideclwithcoyers, in 'or'der that by obviating the necessity *of removing the latter.

plication of Harvey" P. 'S1eeper,seria1-N0.

624,293); filed March (1923, rand-assigned to the Westing-house Electric 8o Manufacturing Company. In that applicatiomthere disclosed an operation indica't0rcompifising a semaphore and an electromagnetforactuating the"'sameto its indicating post tionfwhen it-predetermined operation is ef tested in the relayfln order 'to'r'eset the isem'aphore to its initial posit-ion, in which position it isnotvisible, there is provided a resetting mechanism comp'risiiigan arm normally biased to apds'itidh that is out of the' "path of movement oflt'he semaphore,

sleeve extending through the glass cover of the relay "that is adapted to slip over "the supporting rod fortheglass'eover, and an operatingimember for "the sleeve comprising a washer elementsi'rhila-r 'to that ordinarily "employed-and secured to the outer e'ndof'the sleeve to permit turning thereof to reset the semaphore. The usualthumb nut is pro- I vided to'tightenthe glass cover to the base castin of therelay and the outerappear-' "an'ce of the relay is in noway changed. The resetting element'comprising the sleeve, the

resettingarm and the outside washer' may be easily assembled on thegla ss cover since the -hole's"that are ordinarily provided in the cover "are sufficiently larger thanthe sup'- 4 I w p V I the 1:nob3-14, but not maria m1:

therewith The usual porting rod to accommodate the sleeve. V

- lnaeeerdanee with my invention, a bras the sema'p-ho're.

ingitiember is 'so=interpo'sed betWe'em-the at'i'oh of theresetting member is notinteh iered with by ire'ason-of fric'tionah-engagement between the thumb nut and the sleeve.

and partially in section"; of a ieorti'on '.-"F-i"g."2 '-is"a-fr ont View, partially in elevamon=anc1ipartia1'1y in section, of ap'orti'on 10f th'e rmay that is illii'strated in Fig.1, and

*Fig. 3 is a detail-view 'of the'resetting niec'h'ai'iism with partsbroken away. i

My invention 'compri'ses, in general, a relay 1 that is provided with an operationindicator in the form of an electromagnet 2 that a'ctu'ates a sejmaph'ore '3 to i a position behind an aperture 4, and a resettingm'ec'hanism -5th'at is mounted on a clampingbolt '6 that supports the cover 'or casing 7 of the relay 1. p

--The semaphore 3 is provided with a tail resett ing'mech anism "5 for the purpose of movingth'e semaphore 3 away from behind lower position by a'coil spring 11- mounted around a' sIeeVe or tubular member 12 that fits loosely over the bolt G and "extends through the casing or cover member 7 of the-"relays The 'c'over member 7 ofsuch a rela'y isgeneral ly o fglass in order to permi't ready inspection of the relay parts and The sleeve 12 is "provided, at its innerend, with a eap piece 13 for'the attachment ot the arm 9; after the insertion *of the-sleeve 12through the coy'ermember 7 EXte riorly of the -covermemb r 7, the sleeve 12 terminates in a knob 14 that pro- Videsa knurled or grippin surfaee femhe "manipulation of the resetting deyio'e 55 A Washer 15 of fabric material is inserted be iii order to pre'velit the acce ss O f llilsii ttnd provided exteriorly of the bracing member 16 for engagement with a threaded portion 18 of the bolt 6. If desired, overturned lugs 19 on the thumb nut 17 may extend through the perforation of the bracing member 16,

'so that the two parts constitute a. unitary structure. I

It is to be observed that the knob 14 is entirely independent of, and out of frictional engagement with, any part of the bracing member 16 or the thumb nut 17. This-feature is of extreme importance for the'reason that for correct performance of the relay 1, the cover member 7 should be tightly secured in position and where the knob l land thethumb nut 17 are in engagement, frictional engagement therebetween interferes with the operation of the knob 14: and the sleevelfzh "Assuming the relay to be energized, but .20,

below a predetermined value, the relation of the parts will be that shown in the figures of the drawing. Upon the occurrence of predetermined conditions in the relay, the electromagnet 2 is actuated and the semaphore 3 is'drawn into position behind the aperture 4. The relay 1 may simultaneously operate connected circuit interrupters or other pro- 8 of the indicator to cause the semaphore 3 tective devices (not shown).

Where a; large number of relays are mounted on a single switchboard, the op-- e'rator may quickly locate the relay that operated by an inspection of the various indi-c eating devices 2. Having located the 0perated relay, the operator grasps the knob l t-and gives it a slight, clockwise turning movement agains't'the action of the spring- 11 whereupon the arm 9'moves to the posi. tionshown in broken lines to engage the arm to turn in a counter-clockwise.direction away Yfrombehind the aperture 4. As soon as the. operator'release s the knob 14, the arm 9 re turns to its lower positionby reason, of the faction of the spring 11 and without interference from the thumb nut 17 and bracing.

member 16. The parts are then inxthe position shown in the figures of the drawing and are ready for another operation of the relay.

While I have shown and described my invention as operatively connected with a relay, it is'to be understood that this showing is only by way of'ill'ustration. My invention 7 is applicable to any device where a perforated member is held in position by a clamping bolt and an indicator on one side of'the perforated member, is to be operated thereof may 'be'efiected without departing from the other side thereof.

a I do not wish to be restricted to the specific, circuit connections or arrangement of parts herein set forth,'as various modifications from the spirit and scope of myinvention.

V I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims. I

gripping surface I claim as my invention:

1. In an instrument, the combination with a transparent cover member, a clamping bolt therefor and an indicator enclosed thereby, a resetting device for said indicator cooperating'with said bolt, an actuating device for. the resetting mechanism comprising a member loosely fitted on said bolt and extendingthrough the cover member, and a clamping element engaging the cover member and mounted on theboltindependently of the actuating device to permit movement of the actuating device independently of the clamping element.

1 2. 1m an instrument, the. combination with;

a transparent cover membenaclamping bolt therefor and an indicator enclosed thereby,

a resetting device for said indicator-e operating with said bolt, an actuating device for the resetting vmechanism comprising a member loosely fitted on said bolt and extending through I the cover "member, thereby constituting a, gripping surface, and clamping means mounted on the bolt outwardly from, but independent of, the actuating device and bridging. said device-to engage the cover member, thereby permitting move-' bracket between said clamping means and said cover member andbrldging said gripping surface to permit movement of the independently of the clampingmeans. p

41-. In an electrical relay, a perforated transparent cover member, a clamping bolt passing through the cover member, an indicator, resetting mechanism for the the im dicator co-operating with the bolt, an actuating deviceforthe resetting mechanism comprising a member loosely fittedlonthe bolt and passing through the covermember thereby constituting a gripping surface, a

. clamping means mounted on the bolt outside said actuat ing device and means .for transmittlngthe pressure of the clamping means to the cover member and shaped to permit the application of a moving force to. the

actuating device without disturbing the clamping means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribedmy name this 18th day'of February, 1924. I i

JESSE M. znnrEBMAN. 

